Central American red brocket | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Cervidae |
Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
Genus: | Mazama |
Species: | M. temama
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Binomial name | |
Mazama temama (Kerr, 1792)
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Subspecies | |
M. temama temama (nominate) | |
The Central American red brocket (Mazama temama) is a species of brocket deer ranging from southern Mexico, through Central America, to northwestern Colombia.[2]
In 1792 Robert Kerr originally described it as a unique separate species as opposed to a subspecies.[3] It was treated as a subspecies of the red brocket (Mazama americana) from South America, but its karyotype has 2n = 50, while the latter's was initially described as having 2n = 68–70.[1] However, a more recent description gives the red brocket a variable karyotype with 2n ranging from 48 to 54, suggesting it represents several species.[4] It is sympatric with the Yucatan brown brocket (Odocoileus pandora) over part of its range. Additionally, it was estimated that Mazama temama diverged from other red brocket deer about 2 MYA. This was estimated through analysis of concatenated sequences from the mitochondrial gene ND2, Cytb, and tRNA-Pro-Control region.[5]
The species is found in primary and secondary tropical forest at altitudes from sea level to 2800 m.[1]
In Mexico, it is regarded as an agricultural pest by bean farmers.[1] It is probably threatened by hunting and deforestation.[1] Due to not much being known about the species, it is rated as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List.